N.I.C.E.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

First, let me begin by saying Happy New Year to all N.I.C.E. Readers. I hope that this year brings you peace, prosperity, love, joy, good health and that you will embrace the reality of knowing that Natural IS Cool Enough!

I want to share some good news with you to begin our New Year on this second precious day of 2014. Sometimes, in your midst, there is something wonderful happening that you are unaware of. A person who you may have exchanged very little words with is creating an experience that you will truly appreciate, but you have no idea that it is occurring. This just happened in the midst of my reality so N.I.C.E. readers, check this out! A young student in one of my courses whose name is Shaida Escoffery, wrote her first novel! How amazing is that? As a writer, who has published several books, I have a deep appreciation for this effort. The name of her new book is Idle, Wild, Love. I just ordered it in the form of an e-book for my Kindle/Ipad. This new book is also published in paperback. I am so excited to share this with N.I.C.E. readers because we have the opportunity to experience a brand new creative piece of work, at the start of a new year, written by a young Black woman who made her dream come true! It's a special moment for her, I'm sure, and an opportunity for all of us to experience this moment with her. It is fantastic when a person takes the thoughts that are in her/his head, types them meticulously from her/his mind, from where each word emerges creatively and from inspiration, and then watches those thoughts go from the intangible to tangible for others to read and experience. Sometimes, we take that process for granted but truly we should not. It is no small measure but quite an accomplishment!

So today, in early 2014, N.I.C.E. shares with you something that is brand new, born from the mind of a young sister, Shaida Escoffery. She has graciously shared her writing experience with you below, which I hope after reading it, you will buy her book and take that journey through Idle, Wild, Love.

N.I.C.E. Salutes this young sister!

A guest post by new Author, Shaida Escoffery

I first started working on the novel Idle, Wild, Love in the spring of 2012. It started off as a quick one-page opening, just to get a creative writing assignment for class off my back. Soon, when I started my Senior Thesis at the University of Miami in the spring of 2013, with revered author A. Manette Ansay, I picked up back that one page intro and decided to do something with it.

At the time I was reading up on some historical black towns and became immersed in the community of Idlewild, Michigan. I decided that would be the setting of my novel and went full force into writing. Problem: I had never been to Idlewild, Michigan. I had never even been to Michigan! Solution: I went on a mission trip in the summer of 2013 to Detroit, and also won a grant from the Atlantic Coast Conference in Innovation and Creativity to travel to Idlewild and do my research. My family and I were blessed to travel there and take part in the tranquility and historical significance of Idlewild. Not to mention, they have one of the best ice cream shops that definitely competes with my beloved Devon House in Jamaica.

I released Idle, Wild, Love in both print and ebook on January 1, 2014. In such a short time, I have been so grateful to see the support of friends, family, and people I don’t know from all over. This leap of faith to pursue my dreams and become an author has taught me so many valuable life lessons.